August 25, 2010

Mining the Audio Motherlode, Volume 80 (MP3s)

Give the Drummer Some'sFavorite Downloads from the MP3 Blogosphere

How do you improve upon perfection? That's a question that's been rattling around inside my illuminated helmet ever since reading about a heretofore unknown May 1940 version of "Body and Soul" by Coleman Hawkins, which reportedly surpasses the utter magnificence of his celebrated recording of the tune committed to wax six months earlier.

On the strength of his historic 1939 version of "Body and Soul"—which only hints at the melody before launching into an improvised narrative of riveting emotional complexity—Hawkins established the tenor saxophone as the dominant voice in jazz and, if you believe the critics, single-handedly ushered in the age of the modern jazz solo. While a few writers and historians have had a chance to hear this newly uncovered gem (read Ben Ratliff's account here), the rest of us will have to wait until it's new owner makes it officially available for public consumption.

As a consolation, take the next three minutes and give a listen to Coleman Hawkins's original work of genius, followed by the wonderful Eddie Jefferson's note-for-note "vocalese" interpretation of Hawkins's performance:

Cuchi Cuchi CuchiBoffo boogalooist Ray Terrace brought in his famous brother Pete (Pedro Gutierrez, who later gave up music to practice medicine back in Puerto Rico) to arrange this set of Latin jazz smokers from 1965. Manny Roman and Willie Torres handle the vocal duties while the band churns madly.

High on the HogBennie Hess's papa, Vestral (yes, Vestral!) worked on the railroad with the legendary "singing brakeman" Jimmie Rodgers, who stayed at the Hess household in Texas on occasion, enthralling young Bennie with his yodeling. (Though Hess was a first-class huckster, promoter and bullshit artist, this appears to be fact.) Handing down the love of music from father to son continued when Bennie tossed his 4-year-old son, Troy, on stage as "America's Singing Souvenir." (Hear Troy sing his breakout number: Please Don't Got Topless Mother (mp3).

Good LukLegendary luk thung singer Phraiwan Lukphet crooned the themes to numerous beloved Thai films cementing his eternal popularity. I don't know what he is singing in the devastating numbers, but the melancholy is so thick you could cut it with a parang.

Wayne's WorldThere seems to be a bit of a Internet conundrum about the original authorship of the New Orleans R&B classic "Junco Partner." It's about 110% certain that record label exec Bob Shad, who'd received royalties on the tune going back to 1951, didn't write a damn thing. Many credit James Waynes, aka James Wayne, aka Wee Willie Wayne as the first to record, if not compose, the number. (If you were inclined to not necessarily believe everything the colorful Mr. Wayne had to say, who could blame you.) This collection delivers "Junco Partner (Worthless Man)" and 17 other jump blues monsters.

Amster Amster Dam Dam DamDutch national radio A.V.R.O. launched a dance orchestra in 1935, but it was disbanded after its conductor was implicated in a "minor sex scandal." A year later a new band was formed under the leadership of clarinetist Henri Emile (Hans) Mossel. Mossel would perish at Auschwitz in 1944.

*Note: This terrific blog has been shuttered, but the download is still active. Click on the link above to go straight to the Megaupload page where the download is hosted.

I hope no one gets upset with me over this. I totally understand that these blog owners are paying money to these services in order to exspose everyone to all of this fantastic art. I my self have donated to a few of the sites that I've frequented, and maintain a rapidshare account. (I think it was this huge collection of Ancient Chinese music that pushed me over the edge into "I suppose I'll pay for the convenience" land.

Having prefaced myself, with the utmost humility I want to put it out there that megaupload, uploading.com, and filefactory are all complete garbage, and if it were possible to poop on a web page, I would do so often upon these,, and with great gusto.

With absolutely no snark intended, why have bloggers chosen these services over the likes of media fire or even rapidshare (which still has the annoying "wait 60 seconds, but at least plays nice with download them all)? I'm particularly interested as I have been digitzing my LP's and am considering starting up a blog of my own.

Doug, the password works, now everything is fine. And it´s great music, great versions. Thanks for searching the net, and finding gems like this

@ Monkeyboy: I am not upset about your favored location for getting rid of whatever but if it´s important to you to tell the world about it please explain why. Because I´m getting upset about people just complaining but not explaining.

And, with Rapidshare you have to wait 15 minutes for the second download if you are a free user. That´s what annoys me, so I prefer MF or MU.

You know what, you fools who read a few things & then re-gurgitate it like a bird feeding it's young obviously have no care about the truth or what it represents! I highly resent your remarks, & I think you & ANYONE else who makes those remarks are completly assanine! So if you'd ever care to object to what Im saying, please bring yourself on down here to Texas! I'm not " Little" Troy Hess anymore!! At 6'3", 230 pounds, I think you who wrote the above crap would be hard pressed to face me,but the offer is open... Anytime you have the guts, or the ignorance to take me up on it!!! Why don't you use that little pea brain of yours & do some genuine fact verification before you make a false statement! It's EURO-Trash like you who give Europeans a bad name!!!